Dave stared off into space moodily refusing to acknowledge the coy laughter a couple of tables over. He knew who it was and refused to give Randy the attention that he was wanting… there were enough people in the room that gave into his demands as it was. There was nothing about the man that interested him outside of a wet dream or two, not the blue eyes that you could get lost in, not the dimpled grin that he flashed when he was up to something, and certainly not the body that could make him so hard that one of these days he was afraid that it was going to cause him to injure himself.

Jay used to tease him that he was in denial insisting that Dave held some long buried lust for young Randy. Dave was pretty sure that his response had disturbed the normally unflappable man. "I am in no way in denial about the lust I feel for Randy. I readily admit that I want to bury my cock as far as I can into his ass and fuck him until he screams my name so loud that his mamma's gonna be able to hear him back in St. Louis. Then while the cum is still drying on my dick and I am satisfied that I have gotten everything from him that I am I'm gonna reach down, wrap my big hands around his skinny little neck, and squeeze s hard that his head will pop off."

Poor Jay hadn't known what to think about that and had avoided him for the next two weeks. The problem was very simple in Dave's eyes. The issue wasn't necessarily with Randy who on a good day was such a brat that even the most even tempered had trouble dealing with him sometimes. The trouble lay with the blonde Adonis that Dave was madly in love with but who only loved two men in his entire live… both of whom had broken his heart.

Paul Levesque… his mentor, his friends, his greatest adversary, and his every desire was the man whom Dave would gladly sacrifice his life for. However unfortunately for him, he was no blonde Heartbreaker, nor was he Randy fuckin' Orton. He was only Dave. Big, muscle bound, good guy Dave, was just the one that kept putting Paul back together after Randy and Shawn broke him.

So there Dave sat, in the catering room listening to Randy laugh like he and Paul were longtime lovers flirting with Paul, getting the older man's hopes up when everyone (except obviously Paul) knew later the little shit would take great pleasure in shattering them. Dave already knew how it would go. Randy would spend all day flirting, leading Paul on. After the show, when Paul had finally worked up the guts to believe that this time Randy was serious, he'd ask the little bitch out. Randy would turn on those beautiful blues of his… and laugh in Paul's face. "What the fuck are you thinkin'?" He'd ask drawing as much attention as he could so as to further humiliate Paul. Then the little bitch would skip off and lock lips with the first person that he could find… preferable someone that Paul hated so he would be even more hurt.

Dave didn't quite understand it all. He knew so well how it was going to happen because he had watched it play out over and over like they were all stuck in some time space continuum loop in some old Star Trek the Next Generation episode. He knew that most of the guys were not like their characters. Paul was one that put on a great show. He had learned long before he and Randy wandered into the backstage how to hide most of the "real" Paul. He also was normally a master at detecting the BS and deceit that happened in the asylum that was the WWE, but somehow when it came to Randy… Jesus he got sucked in every time. It had gotten to the point where Dave's hands were itching to connect with Randy's pretty boy face.

After Paul was humiliated and the wounds in his heart that never really healed were opened back up, The Game would come out flexing his muscles, swinging Sledgy, and denying that he had any feelings at all. He would claim that it was no big loss. "There's a guy on every corner as pretty as him. I just didn't wanna have to go looking for a slut to fuck tonight."

This is where The Game's intelligence came into play. The trick that made the man so believable was that where The Game was concerned being unfeeling and willing to fuck anything that walked on two legs was absolutely a true statement. The Game was a cold hearted, unfeeling, ruthless bastard that was unstoppable by anything except possibly a silver bullet or a stake through his blackened and shriveled heart. The Game was simply the shield that Paul built years ago to protect the much more vulnerable and sensitive Michael Jean Paul Levesque. "Jesus kid don't take it so personally," the veteran had told him upon finding the younger man crying at the betrayal of the man he had thought was his lover and hoped would become his one and only. "Grow a spine. You can find a slut like him on any corner."

Dave didn't hate The Game because he understood his purpose, but that didn't mean that he had to like the alter ego. He really hated the fact that Paul needed him in any moment there wasn't a camera running and certainly didn't love him the way that he loved Paul.

There was the whole problem.

He loved Paul.

Paul loved Randy.

Therefore the reasonable outcome was that Randy heeded to be fucked and then killed.

"I am not going to ask why you are smiling like that," Dave heard and looking up saw Jay standing next to him. "Good idea," Dave replied as Jay moved to sit down in front of him. "I would hate for you to stop talking to me again. "You are my only salvation in this hell that they call Smackdown!"

Jay glanced over to where Randy was still flirting with Paul and wrinkled his nose. "I don't think that I mind this time… 'specially not since I know the shit over there already has a man and trust me this one don't share." Dave lifted an eyebrow and then narrowed his eyes at the thought as all of the implications of Jay's statement came to him. "Who's gonna try and kick Paul's ass this time?" Dave growled and Jay shrugged shaking his head at Randy's latest antics.

"I don't know yet. Juvi got interrupted before he could tell me, but I do know that whoever he is according to Randy the guy thinks shit like this is funny. Of course that don't mean that he won't kick Paul's ass for the fun of it anyway."

Dave smiled darkly at Jay then turned his attention briefly back to Paul before replying. "I hope he does. I haven't beaten anyone up since the last time I got my hands on Adam." Jay laughed then the two left to get ready for the Smackdown taping leaving Randy and Paul alone.

The show was over and Dave was sitting on a bench in the locker room removing his boots as Joey Mercury burst in. Dave knew him through Shannon who he had been quite close with since he had been called up from OVW. Dave watched as Joey looked around and as Dave set his boots and socks to one side, Joey ran over with a grim expression on his face. "Dave, you better come quick," Joey said anxiously looking over his shoulder as if he expected someone. "Paul's about to get his ass handed to him by Mark."

Frowning Dave stood and followed Joey out forgetting he was in his socks. "Why is Mark after Paul?" Joey rolled his eyes leading Dave to where the fight was. Dave could already hear Mark shouting, but stopped Joey anyway by putting a hand on the smaller man's shoulder wanting more information before he headed into the scene. "Cause Paul asked Randy out." Dave groaned, but just for clarification asked, "Is Mark Randy's new boyfriend?" When Joey nodded Dave cursed and sprinted ahead of him.

When he reached the area where the argument was occurring, Dave saw Paul had been backed up against a wall with Mark in front of him and a ring of wrestlers acting as spectators blocking Paul's exit on both sides. Dave couldn't see Mark's face because the bigger man's back was toward him, but he could see Paul's face and growled. Looking around Dave saw that Jay and Benny were being restrained from coming to Paul's aid by Orlando Jones and John Bradshaw.

Dave began pushing his way through the crowd and when the men realized who it was a path miraculously cleared until Randy appeared putting himself in Dave's way. "If you don't want this return to be short lived then you will move," Dave warned. Randy began to pout prettily but quickly to pout prettily but quickly figured out he wasn't going to be able to distract his former friend and angrily stepped out of the way. "Baby, you got company." Randy warned so that when Dave managed to get between the man he loved and Mark the redhead was ready for him. "This ain't none of your business, boy. You'd be best off forgettin' them ideas goin' through your mind and steppin' out of my way. Paul's a big boy. If he didn't wanna take the punishment then he shoulda stayed away from my property."

Dave laughed lazily, his stance revealing none of the anger flooding his veins. "If your bitch hadn't led him on and played his games like he always does then Paul woulda never asked out your skanky slut."

Mark shrugged and flashed a lazy grin at Dave looking back over his shoulder at Randy before responding. "Shit,: the older man said drawing the word out for several seconds longer than it should have been. "Randy's just a friendly kid. He was just bein' nice to Paul. Takin' pity on him since he's obviously so hard up he's gotta go after someone else's man. Paul needs to realize that Randy ain't ever gonna take up with a pathetic loser like him."

Dave shifted his stance, straightening his shoulders and spine as he stepped closer to Mark. "Randy is a slut who would fuck just about anything on two legs and maybe a coupla things on four if he found them attractive. Randy also likes to cause trouble. He enjoys stirin' up shit so that he can stand back and watch how it plays out. Problem is that he's too much of a coward and a child to actually get involved once everyone's all hot and bothered. I also suspect that you know it and don't mind in the least 'cause then you can claim you were justified in beating up unsuspecting fools."

Now it was Mark who narrowed his eyes dropping all pretenses of being the lazy Texan. "You better watch what you're sayin' boy before you get yourself into sometin' that you can't get yourself outta."

Dave's lip curled upward on one side, but no one there mistook it for a smile. "I think that you need to remember that you ain't really The Undertaker although these days you are startin' to look more dead than alive. I would suggest that you keep in mind that I've been to hell a time or two so there ain't any one this side of it that I'm afraid of. So, if YOU don't watch yourself you're gonna end up bein' the dead man for real."

Dave saw Mark shift his stance slightly. So when the big fist came flying at his chin, he easily dodged it. Mark however was not so fortunate and when Dave's fist connected with his jaw he found himself looking up at Dave from the cement floor as he shook his head trying to clear his vision. Randy quickly knelt down next to Mark then looked up snarling at Dave and Paul who had come up beside of him. "This ain't over," Randy spat and Dave turned his head to see Paul smiling thinly at the brat. "You're right Randy. It isn't."

When Paul walked off Dave glanced at the Mark and Randy once more then followed his friend the laughter of the onlookers following him down the hall. He knew better than to shrug Randy's threat. The evil little shit said nothing idly and would be sure to try and cause problems for Paul.

Easily Dave quickened his pace so that when the two of them reached his dressing room he grabbed Paul's arm pulling him in and locking the door behind them. He them learned against the door watching his friend pace like a caged tiger who was remembering the days when he when he had been free. "Talk," he finally ordered more worried about what would happen if Paul didn't let loose the pain than he was being the one he let loose on. He saw Paul glance at him, but the stubborn man refused to speak, which was not a good sign for anyone.

Signing Dave pushed away from the door and put himself in Paul's path. When the other man moved to go around him Dave growled softly and grabbed Paul's arm forcing him to stop. "Mist we go through this every time?" Dave asked forcing his temper down. "You know by now that you can talk to me."

Something was different this time, Dave could feel it. When he found himself pinned down under Paul's intense gaze he found that he had to fight not to squirm. "Why do you always do this?" Dave heard Paul ask and mentally scrambled for an answer that wouldn't put his friendship in jeopardy. "What do you mean?" HE finally asked hoping to buy himself a little time to calm his panic.

"Why do you always help me out? Why are you being nice even though I've been a prick to you all day? I could've taken Mark, ya know." Dave couldn't stop himself from squirming under Paul's intense glare and had to lower his eyes before he could answer.

"You would have done the same thing for me and often did when you were champ. Besides that your ability to defend yourself against Mark wasn't what I was worried about. You and I both know that while you can hold your own you don't always. I ain't willing to watch you let Mark kick your ass because that little bitch got6 into your head again."

When Paul didn't respond Dave looked up and saw that he was still under that intense scrutiny "You didn't answer all of my questions, David. Why are you usually so nice to me and patient with me no matter how crappy I have treated you? Why do you put up with bullshit that no one else will put up with? Why do you care what anyone else does to me?"

Dave sighed and looked over Paul's shoulder at the wall behind him trying to focus his thoughts. "Are the specifics really important, Paul? The fact is that I am nice to you no matter what or at least try to be. Most of your bullshit comes from stress and frustration so I see no need to get all worked up about it. If you say something too harsh I know you never really mean it so what good is it for me to act like an asshole back and make your day even worse? IT won't do you or me any good so why waste both our times with more drama? Not to mention that I ain't always mister wonderful. I have my own moods that you have to suffer through and you don't ever complain so why should I treat you worse than you do me?

"As far as the other people in your life are concerned… shit, darlin', I know most of 'em and frankly you need to dump the lot of 'em. You've surrounded yourself with ass kissers and backstabbers who want nothing more than to mooch off your money, your name, and your power. I know that most people around here act like you are the spawn of Satan, but that's because half of em are jealous, and most of the rest of the other half don't really know your freakin' Ex. I ain't the only one out there that would give you a change if you showed em somethin' other than The Game all the time, darlin'.

"And that whole why do I care… what does it matter why? I do care. I care so much that I would gladly beat the life out of that cunt Randy if it meant that you'd actually look at me… I mean really look at me Dave not The Animal Batista for two seconds and see that I am crazy about you.

"I would give anything to make you a part of my life and watchin' you moon over a coupla shallow bitches that don't care about anything but themselves alla time is just about killing me."

When Dave stopped speaking the room fell into a silence that the big man couldn't gage. Dave was afraid to look at Paul. He had no idea how his friend would feel about his confession and wasn't sure that he had the courage to find out. Finally though the curiosity became too much for him to bear and he found his gaze settled back on Paul. Not ready to try and translate his expression, Dave found himself just looking at his friend. His hair color had changed lately. Paul had given up with fighting it and was letting the natural red tint come through. He wasn't crazy about this new obsession with straightening it. Dave loved the way it had always curled at the ends and unconsciously his fingers touched the silken tips. This "Lemmie" thing that he had going on with his facial hair was… interesting. Dave had yet to decide how he felt about it though. At first he was almost repelled by it, but over time he had grown used to it.

The eyes that he found himself getting so easily caught in lacked the laughter that made them sparkle. They seemed to be drowned in sadness these days and Dave definitely didn't like that. Without thinking Dave allowed a finger to trail over lips that seemed to part under his touch. HE thought he heard his name escape their boundaries and before he could think about what he was doing they were covered with his own lips and Paul's body was hauled uptight against his own.

He heard a moan, but didn't know which one of them let it out and at that moment didn't care. All that he was concerned with was the feeling of Paul's asunder his hands and the way Paul's fingers were digging into his arms as if he was afraid that Dave would disappear. His tongue found its way into Paul's mouth touching and tasting and stroking until they were both focused until they were both focused only on what it would take to relieve the pressure inside their pants.

The knock on the door didn't even register until it became a pound. "Damnit, I know you're in there! You can't pretend you ain't." Reluctantly the kiss was broke and Dave rested his forehead against Paul's as he tried to catch his breath while the pounding at the door continued. "Shut your goddamn trap Bradshaw," Dave finally hollered and pulled back to see Paul grinning at him. When he moved toward the door Dave groaned knowing Paul too well to hope that he was simply letting the bully on the other side in.

"We aren't finished," Dave warned as Paul opened the door letting in the rude man before walking out. "I'll find out later." Paul promised grinning. "I like the way you call me darlin'." Dave groaned not realizing he'd used the endearment as Bradshaw lifted an eyebrow. Turning to the big man Dave growled. "Keep your goddamn mouth shut or I won't give you a choice." Bradshaw help up his hands and didn't comment, but the cheesy grin on his face said more than enough. Sighing Dave hoped that this little meeting went fast because he had better things to look at than JBL.

The End

Read story #3 in the Nightmares & Dreams series Life Moves Forward